Australia boutique hires experienced life sciences litigator
New recruit joins from DLA Piper and will head up firm’s litigation team | Previously worked on Pfizer v Samsung Bioepis, Jusand v Rattlejack & Murray Engineering, and Pfizer v Sandoz | Follows prosecutor Chris Vindurampulle who joined in October last year.
Pearce IP has brought in executive Eliza Jane Saunders to lead its litigation team.
Saunders, a life sciences patent litigator with 20 years’ experience, was previously at DLA Piper, where she established and developed the International HealthTech practice.
She has also worked at Griffith Hack and Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick in Australia, and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in the UK.
Saunders is a registered patent and trademark attorney and is highly experienced in copyright, trademark, PBR and general IP commercial advice and disputes.
Her litigation experience includes Pfizer v Samsung Bioepis (Enbrel, etanercept), Jusand v Rattlejack & Murray Engineering (Byrnecut), Pfizer v Sandoz (Enbrel, etanercept preliminary injunction), Neurim v Apotex (Circadin®, melatonin), Sigma v Wyeth (Efexor, venlafaxine), Commonwealth v Wyeth (Efexor, venlafaxine—commonwealth damages), Apotex v Pfizer (Viagra, sildenafil); Fisher & Paykel v Resmed (medical devices) and Apple v Samsung.
She has also acted in many high-profile trademark and copyright matters over many years.
“Eliza is an excellent lawyer, attorney and strategist, and her litigation experience is second to none,” said Pearce IP CEO and executive, Naomi Pearce.
“Dedicated to her craft and fiercely committed to her clients, Eliza is determined to find creative ways to further her clients’ commercial objectives in Australia.”
The appointment follows the firm’s hire of Chris Vindurampulle, leader of the prosecution team, from K&L Gates in October 2022.
Vindurampulle added: “Pearce IP is young, but has won numerous awards in recognition of the firm’s strong leadership and client-centric service delivery. Naomi Pearce’s vision for Pearce IP is clear, and her commitment to the firm’s clients is matched only by her drive and passion for delivering high-quality advice and service.
“It is this commitment and passion that drew me to work at Pearce IP. The firm is growing rapidly, and the recent addition of Eliza Jane Saunders builds solidly upon the firm’s litigation foundation. I am greatly looking forward to the future at Pearce IP, working closely with Eliza and Naomi to continue to provide legal/IP excellence, whilst maintaining the highest level of client satisfaction.”
Pearce IP is a boutique firm offering intellectual property specialist lawyers, patent attorneys and trade mark attorneys to the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and life sciences industries.
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